Howard's Ride

Howard's Ride

When Howard Long was about twelve he had an old, rusty bicycle.  He used to take it on the hill road outside of Liberty, Kentucky and ride it down hill.  It was in bad shape and hard to peddle, so he took the chain off.  He told Dad that it reduced the drag.  Howard would walk the bike to the top of the hill and coast all the way down, with no way to slow down or stop, until gravity slowed him going up the other side.

One day at while riding down the hill he mistimed the speed of a car in front of him.  A man in a Packard had almost reached the bottom of the hill as Howard took off.  As the car was going up the hill toward town Howard came speeding up behind him.  As I stated, since the bike had no chain, he could not slow it down.

Howard slammed into the round rear of the car at God knows what speed.  The bike went completely over the car and crashed in the road ahead.  The shocked driver slammed on the brakes.

As the car came to a stop Howard jumped up and hobbled to the drivers door.  Peering, bug eyed, in the window at the driver, he exclaimed "Are you alright, Mr. Edwards?"

After a shocked moment the driver laughed, then took Howard into town, and bought him a new bike.  One WITH a chain.